Couple safe, but missing, after boat dashed on rocks in Phuket storm

PHUKET: Tourist Police have confirmed that an elderly couple, believed to be Russian, who escaped injury after the boat they were on washed up on rocks at Freedom Beach, south of Patong on Phuket’s west coast, on Wednesday (Sept 20) are safe.

UPDATE: The Phuket News has confirmed that the man safely ashore from the boat is Viacheslav Vasilev, 63, born in the USSR.

However, oddly, no further details were forthcoming.

Capt Ekkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police confirmed to The Phuket News today (Sept 22) that he was aware of the incident.

“Both foreigners are safe, be assured,” he said.

However, Capt Ekkachai declined to give more details, although the man and woman pictured in the photographs in the initial report by Tourist Police shows the man holding a Russian passport.

Also, the boat dashed on rocks can be seen to be named “Ekamp” in Cyrillic letters on the bow.

Initial reports said that a rescue team from Royal Thai Navy tourist rescue centre based at Kata Beach rendered assistance, but calls by The Phuket News all this afternoon to the rescue centre went unanswered.

Meanwhile, Marine Police said they were aware of the couple and their boat, but said they knew of no other details.

The officers did not confirm whether or not any of their own Marine Police officers had even made contact with the couple.

Karon and Patong Police also said they knew nothing of the couple or of the stricken boat. The dispatch officers at both of those police stations confirmed they had not received any reports about any boats washing up on rocks within their areas of jurisdiction.

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